Wallabies v Pumas - Saturday 17 September, nib Stadium Perth
- Thread starter Braveheart81
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You forgot Malcolm Roberts.
Nah, he is all Qld (wtf is wrong with the Sunshine Coast? it breeds lunatics)
Pfitzy
Nathan Sharpe (72)
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
Good quality man selected by his peers
The only thing wrong with the Sunny Coast is that there are too many ex Tahs living there.
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
Good to see Folau do the back flip and toe the Chek line about centre/fullback
tragic
John Solomon (38)
Dave Beat
Paul McLean (56)
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
You'll be rooting for Sir George Smith shortly because he's a red
Dave, I wouldn't root Sir George just because he's a Red.
In fact, I wouldn't root any of them, Red or not
Brumby Runner
Jason Little (69)
FP I know it is conventional wisdom (or Cheika's) that we play two playmakers. But I don't recall any instance last week where the ball went through Foley's hands to Quade out wider. Isn't that what's supposed to happen to give Quade extra room to perform his magic?
Certainly, Foley was first receiver on a number of occasions but as I said above I don't think the ball went from Foley to Quade at all. But it certainly went through Quade's hands to an outside player (usually Kerevi) in space. I still want to see Quade/Kerevi at 10/12. Think with a bit of time under their belts, we could put the notion of two playmakers to bed for some time.
Rugbynutter39
Michael Lynagh (62)
As rank amateur armchair coach (with an opinion on everything of course - like all good posters on here) I did think Cheika has slightly lost the plot with some of his selections and was heading on the slow burn out as coach. But then some reflection.
Reality is Pooper at the moment is probably the best option we have as no clear 8 as front runner banging the door down. Next year will have to change and we might then have some better options with Holloway returning from injury. Not convinced Timani who has played lock for the Rebels is the real long term answer. I mean we are talking about the need for a specialist 8 yet we plump for a lock to play that position! How many of us have banged on about the perils of playing so many players out of position, yet we almost demand to play another player who has never played 8 to fill that gap. Seriously!
On Foley - I think he is get a lot of hate for his games this year at 10. Yep never thought I would say this but now Cooper seems better choice but lets not kid ourselves last year Foley was the better choice over Cooper and he generally proved this in tests last year which everyone agreed with. Lot of short term memory problems for many on this. Ok Cooper done better and now agree showing better option at 10. But does a couple of months of some ordinary games make Foley a bad player, and maybe, just maybe there are aspects to his game suited at 12. Ok first game at 12 pretty ordinary but last test whole lot better - not perfect of course but improving. His 7's pedigree seems to shine through a lot more at 12 so I actually can start to see what Cheika saw with the move. Funny that so Cheika might be better coach than the armchair amateur coach (critic) I am in picking the team. Who would have thought.
Hodge on the wing I did not necessarily see that but again seems maybe that might be ok move. And keeping Foley at 12 for the moment.
And replacing TK with Kerevi for my mind still so far been positive as when is the last time we saw TK lead on the run metres like Kerevi did in the last test?
Yes we would all like a world class wallabies team but there are not a lot of options, so maybe Cheika not doing as bad as we thought, as if we are pushing for players like Speight, Timani at lock, shows we almost acknowledge we are beret of finding other options ourselves. Some better options will emerge with the Rebels new Fijian wingers both eligible for the Wallabies, and players like Holloway returning from injury, and some settled locks in play for a bit it seems with Coleman, Douglas and Arnold as bench option.
A glass half full view for today. The half empty view I am sure will come after we are thrashed by the Argies over the weekend (and if the Argies play like they did for that first 50 minutes against the AB's I am very scared).
Reality is Pooper at the moment is probably the best option we have as no clear 8 as front runner banging the door down. Next year will have to change and we might then have some better options with Holloway returning from injury. Not convinced Timani who has played lock for the Rebels is the real long term answer. I mean we are talking about the need for a specialist 8 yet we plump for a lock to play that position! How many of us have banged on about the perils of playing so many players out of position, yet we almost demand to play another player who has never played 8 to fill that gap. Seriously!
On Foley - I think he is get a lot of hate for his games this year at 10. Yep never thought I would say this but now Cooper seems better choice but lets not kid ourselves last year Foley was the better choice over Cooper and he generally proved this in tests last year which everyone agreed with. Lot of short term memory problems for many on this. Ok Cooper done better and now agree showing better option at 10. But does a couple of months of some ordinary games make Foley a bad player, and maybe, just maybe there are aspects to his game suited at 12. Ok first game at 12 pretty ordinary but last test whole lot better - not perfect of course but improving. His 7's pedigree seems to shine through a lot more at 12 so I actually can start to see what Cheika saw with the move. Funny that so Cheika might be better coach than the armchair amateur coach (critic) I am in picking the team. Who would have thought.
Hodge on the wing I did not necessarily see that but again seems maybe that might be ok move. And keeping Foley at 12 for the moment.
And replacing TK with Kerevi for my mind still so far been positive as when is the last time we saw TK lead on the run metres like Kerevi did in the last test?
Yes we would all like a world class wallabies team but there are not a lot of options, so maybe Cheika not doing as bad as we thought, as if we are pushing for players like Speight, Timani at lock, shows we almost acknowledge we are beret of finding other options ourselves. Some better options will emerge with the Rebels new Fijian wingers both eligible for the Wallabies, and players like Holloway returning from injury, and some settled locks in play for a bit it seems with Coleman, Douglas and Arnold as bench option.
A glass half full view for today. The half empty view I am sure will come after we are thrashed by the Argies over the weekend (and if the Argies play like they did for that first 50 minutes against the AB's I am very scared).
Brumby Runner
Jason Little (69)
Not likely to improve at the next levels down either with goals in NRC worth only two points against 6 for a try. Goal kicking might fade from the Aus game altogether.
Check out the first piece of action here from the 2nd half. At about 1 minute 50 in the video.
Rugbynutter39
Michael Lynagh (62)
Yes don't know why they are not picking more players from other provinces. Problem is you only have three other Super Rugby sides to choose from really.
I mean I applaud SANZAR for allowing that club side called the Queensland Reds to play in the Super Rugby competition this year as I am sure it was a great development opportunity for many of those club players involved. And for a bunch of club players I thought they did very well in the Super Rugby competition this year.
And if memory serves me correct I think they even actually just managed to finish above the Force. Which is just outstanding given they only are a club side.
I mean I applaud SANZAR for allowing that club side called the Queensland Reds to play in the Super Rugby competition this year as I am sure it was a great development opportunity for many of those club players involved. And for a bunch of club players I thought they did very well in the Super Rugby competition this year.
And if memory serves me correct I think they even actually just managed to finish above the Force. Which is just outstanding given they only are a club side.
Brumby Runner
Jason Little (69)
I'm pretty sure RN that Lopeti was more a No 8 before he went to Melbourne. IIRC that was where he was converted to lock. Perhaps one of the reasons we seem to have no backup at 8 is because someone like Timani hasn't been given a chance off the bench to show his wares. I like McMahon, but there have been times when we've had McCalman FGS at 6 or 8 when Timani could have been tried.
I wonder if Foley's apparent drop in form from last year is associated with his off-season stint in Japan. Has anyone come back to full form after no off-season? Honey Badger? Brown? Kaino (now back to form but after an extended lull).
Wing is not a bad place to blood Hodge at this level. Long term he will be closer to the action.
When was the last time we saw Kerevi lead the tackles made stats? Maybe the combination of most effective ball carrier (Kerevi) with the most effective defender (Kuridrani) is what we need.
Rugbynutter39
Michael Lynagh (62)
My mistake if Lopeti was more of a 8 b4 melboune rebels sojourn. Good point about Japan stint for Foley as yes not been a good track record there.
Rugbynutter39
Michael Lynagh (62)
Lol maybe we need American gridiron system where we have defensive and attacking teams that interchange.
KOB1987
John Eales (66)
Nice passage that one too!
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